What's the true art of video games? Video games as art vs art disguised as a game.

[Twilord]

McGilliguts said:

JoeTheBro said:

McGilliguts said:
I don't know if designing gameplay mechanics per se could be called an art. It's more of a technical discipline that although it does require creativity, doesn't allow for a depth of personal expression - it's more like engineering i would say.

Not at all.

Programing the mechanics is more like engineering, but designing them certainly isn't.

 

Take that from a guy who was an engineer and then became a dev.

Maybe Engineering was the wrong word. Can you give me an example of game design that might be considered art? And That is independent of the quality of visuals, story, and music. If you think game design is an art, that is.

 

Defining art is tricky but I've settled on the definition of art as that which communicates concepts via emotionally evocative techniques.

 

Level design can very easily communicate a sense of being overwhelmed, intrigued, desperate, relieved, or anxiety. We have whole tropes dedicated to these, and most players are immensely conditioned. If I give you a room filled with power-restoring items you'll almost certainly become anxious.